Cheese

This recipe is a great way to make the most of late-summer tomatoes. Grill some Italian sausages to go alongside. What to drink: A lighter red, like Pinot Noir.

Ultra-creamy Fontina cheese and a layer of black-olive tapenade give this an unctuous, satisfying quality that is usually missing from other veggie pizzas. What to drink: Dry rosé or a spicy Rhône-style red.

One of Cat Cora's signature dishes is a watermelon, feta, and mint salad (a nod to her Greek heritage). Here, she gives the recipe an Italian accent.

Oven-drying the tomatoes before baking the tart concentrates their sweetness and prevents juices from softening the filling. This makes a great summer starter, light lunch, or supper. What to drink: A glass of dry rosé to echo the Provençal flavors of the tart, or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Marielle Ainsworth of Roswell, New Mexico, writes: "I'm a vegetarian, but my husband isn't, so I'm always looking for recipes that will make both of us happy. I came up with the goat cheese pizza because it combines things we both love —cheese and veggies. If you're not a fan of goat cheese, whole-milk mozzarella, Fontina, or Gorgonzola can also be used.

Smear on crackers for an hors d'oeuvre or on bread for a flavor-packed sandwich.

Pair this summery mixture with Italian bread for an easy, delightful sandwich.

Try this with your next roast beef or pork sandwich, on either pumpernickel or rye.

Tapered eggplants and a mix of large and medium tomatoes will give your stacks a more graceful appearance.

This cornbread is a little firmer and denser than one made for eating on its own so that it will hold up to grilling and tossing with the dressing for the Grilled Cornbread Salad with Red Onions, Arugula, and Red Wine Vinaigrette.

Investor Ashton Kutcher has cozied up to current flame Demi Moore at this see-and-be-seen Melrose restaurant. Other famous patrons include Halle Berry and Sharon Stone, who have feasted on the Whole-Wheat Penne With Eggplant, Tomato, and Buffalo Mozzarella. To avoid filling up on a heavy entrée, start with this salad, which contains heart-friendly fat from olive oil.

Healthy bonus: Fiber and protein from lentils; vitamin A from carrots

Testers refused to believe that chef Terry Conlan's ultra-creamy cheesecake was low in fat — but we triple-checked the numbers, and they're gloriously correct. Calories are still a bit high, but light butter and fat-free cream cheese drop the fat count to only 20 percent of the recipe's calories (less than half that of a regular slice), and goodies like caramel sauce and chocolate chips maximize the taste.

The secret to this healthy dish's deceptively rich taste? Cheeses that are loaded with flavor but light on fat. Chef Gonzalo Mendoza further reduces the fat content by lining the pan with thinly sliced potatoes instead of piecrust (which typically contains a lot of butter or lard) for a big fat-calorie savings. The spinach, tomatoes, and onion add nearly 8 grams of fiber to every hearty slice.

Limoncello can be found at most supermarkets and at liquor stores.

The classic apple and cheese combo gets a fun twist in this delicious dish. What to drink: Taz 2003 Chardonnay, Santa Barbara ($20).

For a main-course salad, add some grilled shrimp or chicken and diced papaya.